The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an urgent warning, advising owners of Peloton’s Tread+ treadmill to immediately stop using the device after “multiple incidents of small children and a pet being injured beneath the machines.”
The warning from the government agency comes a month after Peloton acknowledged that a child had died following a tragic accident involving the Tread+. The CPSC investigation found another 38 incidents, however.
“CPSC staff believes the Peloton Tread+ poses serious risks to children for abrasions, fractures, and death,” the agency said. “In light of multiple reports of children becoming entrapped, pinned, and pulled under the rear roller of the product, CPSC urges consumers with children at home to stop using the product immediately.”
More harrowing is the note that injuries don’t just occur when a child is on the treadmill unsupervised, but also when it’s being used by an adult.
Peloton pushed back sharply against the CPSC criticism, saying the warning was inaccurate and misleading.
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s unilateral press release about the Peloton Tread+ treadmill is inaccurate and misleading,” a Peloton statement said. “The Tread+ is safe for Members to use in their homes and comes with safety instructions and warnings to ensure its safe use. Like all motorized exercise equipment, the Tread+ can pose hazards if the warnings and safety instructions are not followed. The Tread+ is not for children under 16. Peloton warns Members not to let children use the Tread+ and to keep children, pets, and objects away from the Tread+ at all times. Any owner of a treadmill—whether made by Peloton or not—should follow these warnings, as they are included in the applicable safety standards, which the Peloton Tread+ meets.”
The CPSC warning is not a recall of the device. So owners who do stop using it will not be entitled to a refund or repair at this time.
More must-read stories from Fortune:
- 10 stocks star fund manager Cathie Wood is buying for 2021—and 3 she’s avoiding
- How mRNA vaccines like Moderna’s and Pfizer’s are propelling us into a “new golden age” of vaccinology
- Bill Gates and other billionaires are doubling down on a surprising investment—and you can access it, too
- The U.S. and Britain are vaccinating at a blistering pace—with very different results. Here’s what the U.K. did right
- 2021’s 100 Best Companies to Work For
